Sena rapped on the top of Nasumi's head softly with her knuckles and the girl blinked, quickly sitting up as her eyes refocused.
"W-What?" Natsumi rubbed her eyes, then her temples. "Sorry, I don't know when I started to zone out."
Sena smiled and sat across from her at the table. "The lesson's over now. Everyone else left."
Natsumi groaned and smacked her forehead and saw Aia watch her from the front of the room as she began to pack up the lesson's materials.
"Sorry, Sena." Natsumi mumbled.
"Don't worry about it. We've been at it for hours. You need a break." Sena held up her hand to whisper. "Besides, Aia's teacher voice can be a little monotone."
"Are you bad-mouthing my teaching again?" Aia put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Sena, though she smiled faintly.
Sena laughed and waved her hand. "Me? I'd never. I was just telling her that we should take a break."
Aia finished putting everything away and then nodded, looking at Natsumi. "Burnt out from all the studying?"
She nodded slowly. "There's so much to learn... I thought I'd already learned everything I'd need at the Academy, but I was wrong."
"Don't feel bad." Sena helped her to a stand. "You're doing really well, actually."
"I am?" Natsumi sighed. "I don't feel like I am."
"Trust us; you are." Aia agreed. "It's only been a few weeks since you joined and you're about ten percent of the way through the course. Most new recruits learn much slower, but you're doing consistently well and at a fast pace."
"I bet you've been studying at home, right?" Sena leaned against the table, resting her palms on the edge, and met her eyes. "You look like you've been barely sleeping."
Natsumi's cheeks warmed and she glanced downward for a moment. "Well..."
"I know you really want to impress everyone, but it's just as important to take care of yourself and get plenty of rest as it is to learn the material." Aia held up a finger, resting her other hand on her hip matter-of-factly.
"It's not that I want to impress anyone..." Natsumi sighed again. "Even though that's partially true... I just want to catch up as quickly as I can so that I'm not the newbie anymore. I don't want to hold the team back because I'm not on the same level."
The older girls shared a look and Aia stepped closer, ruffling her hair.
"You're not holding anyone back, so don't think that way."
"But... we haven't gone on any real missions yet." Natsumi put her hands in her pockets to fiddle with a loose string in its hem. "Until I finish all my training, we've just been running exercises."
"Well, that's a little true." Sena slid herself onto the table, sitting with her legs dangling off the edge. "But, most missions don't require a full team, either. A three-man-squad is sufficient for most missions and intelligence-gathering. If the entire squad is acting all at once, then there's something big going on."
"But—"
Sena shook her head and cut her off. "No buts. You're doing a great job so far, and I don't want to hear you say another word about how you're holding anyone back."
"Because you're not." Aia grinned and finished her sentence.
Natsumi crossed her own arms and pressed her lips together, but she couldn't help but smile. "Alright, if you say so."
"If it makes you feel any better," Aia lowered her voice to a whisper and looked between Sena and Natsumi. "I overheard the Hokage briefing the Captains a few days ago. There's a big mission coming up, and there's a strong chance that Team Yoru will be the ones chosen to carry it out."
Natsumi's eyes widened slightly. "R-Really? A real mission?"
She nodded. "But you didn't hear it from me, alright? It doesn't leave this room."
Sena and Natsumi nodded their heads in unison, and Aia continued. "I didn't hear much, but there's a clan who has supposedly begun working for a rival Daimyo."
"Traitors?" Sena's eyes narrowed and her expression became serious.
"It's only a speculation for now, based off of an anonymous tip, but if it's true, it could be very bad. That's why soon, one team is going to be selected to investigate further and find hard evidence." Aia paused, her face falling into an identical expression. "And if the investigation reveals that more clans are in on this betrayal, then it could mean that another country is plotting to attack the Land of Fire."
"You mean... there'd be war?" The word chilled Natsumi's blood and both girls nodded after a moment.
"It could be that they're just acting as spies, but that in and of itself is a problem." Sena drummed her fingers on the table softly. "Even seemingly useless information such as crop yields could be bad in the hands of our enemies."
"...Because they could choose to attack if we were experiencing food shortages and were weaker?" Natsumi asked slowly.
"That's exactly right." Aia answered. "We'd have to put an end to the flow of information to prevent anything serious from happening."
"How would we do that? Tell the Daimyo?"
"It's an extremely delicate situation." Sena explained. "I'm sure the Hokage has already sent messengers to alert the Daimyo, but for the Lord to respond openly to this could trigger a war outright." She shook her head. "It's up to the ANBU to deal with things like this quietly. It avoids larger conflicts from arising."
"Quietly?" Natsumi looked between them and her stomach began to twist into knots.
"Investigate without being caught, confirm if the intel was correct, and then cut the head off the snake." Aia said simply.
Cut the head off the snake? Shegulped and whispered. "Kill the traitors, you mean."
They nodded and acid burned in her throat. I don't want to kill anyone... I'm glad that I'm just intelligence gathering.
"But, I wouldn't worry about it for now." Sena's smile returned and she met the girl's eyes. "It could just as easily be that whoever sent the tip was incorrect and that those people are innocent. Either way, that's why we investigate first."
Natsumi bit my lip and exhaled. That doesn't really help me feel any better. If the information is right, that still means that people have to die. But... I agreed to carry out all missions... I can't back out or refuse...
"Come on, Natsumi, let's get your mind off of the lesson and move onto something else."
She blinked and stares at Aia. "You used..."
"Your name?" She smiled and shrugged. "It's just us, and, besides, everyone in the village knows you. There's only two Uzumaki in the village, and only one red-haired little girl that looks like you. Codename or not, we know who you are."
"Oh." Natsumi pressed her lips together. Well, this is kind of awkward...
"My real name is Ahmya." Aia giggled. "Since we're friends, you might as well know it. Ahmya Nara. You already know Sena and Kiri."
Sena nodded. "And Ne's real name is Hana."
"She's my cousin." Aia nodded. "We both lost our parents, so we've grown up like sisters and were raised by our grandparents."
"Ahmya?" Natsumi smiled. "Your name is beautiful."
"Awww, you're so sweet!" She wrapped her in a tight hug.
"Can't...breathe..." Natsumi squeaked out and she let her go, then giggled.
"Sorry! You're just so adorable!" She giggled. "Come on, let's go find Aito and practice your swordsmanship."
"Aito?" Natsumi followed Sena and Aia through the doorway.
"That's Kuma's real name." Sena leaned over and whispered. Tarou is Benjiro, Tom is Matou, and Roshi is Enmei."
Ahmya, Hana, Aito, Benjiro, Matou, Enmei... Natsumi sighed. "I just got used to the codenames. Remembering the real names is going to be tricky."
"Don't worry about it!" Aia waved her hand and winked at her. "None of us mind if you slip up at all or can't remember. It's a lot to take in at once."
"Just try not to slip around the Captain." Sena mumbled. "Yuuri's even nasty to her own son, but that's also just how she was raised. It's kind of sad."
Natsumi ran over the list of names in her mind to imprint them into her memory, then looked at Sena. "What's Jiro's real name?"
Her and Aia shared a look, then shrugged.
"To be honest, I don't think anyone knows, not even any of the Captains."
"He joined the ANBU at fifteen, just a few days after the village was attacked by the—" She stopped herself suddenly and avoided Natsumi's eyes.
"By the Nine-Tailed Fox." Natsumi answered, and she nodded.
"Uh... yeah." She started again slowly. "There wasn't an introduction given, and none of us have ever seen his face. We've been on the same team for a long time now, but we know nothing about him."
"Nothing?" Natsumi crossed my arms. "That seems... suspicious."
"Agreed." Sena walked closer to her, lowering her voice. "Even the Hokage doesn't seem to know much about him. He always gets tight-lipped when anyone asks, so I wonder who Jiro really is."
"The theory is that he's some kind of lower demon who was born from the death and destruction the Demon Fox caused."
A chill ran up Natsumi's spine and the three leapt. Jiro hissed in laughter, turning visible, and tilted his head as he looked between them.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not very ladylike to gossip, is it?"
Natsumi clenched her fists to control their trembling and looked at the masked man. "W-What do you want?"
He chuckled and straightened to his full height, raising his hands as he shrugged. "Who, me? I just wanted to spend some quality time with my teammates."
The girls shared a collective shudder.
"That's... nice." Aia squirmed in place. "But I think it's best if you got back to work."
"Oh, fine, fine." He chuckled again, turning invisible once more. "I know when I'm not wanted."
They shuddered again and listened carefully until his faint steps followed down the hall and away from them, then Sena put her arm around Natsumi and we began to walk again, faster than before.
"He really scares me." Natsumi admitted in a whisper.
"He scares all of us." Aia muttered back. "Even the Captain."
They found Kuma in just a few minutes, sparring with a face she recognized.
"Oh, hi Noboru!" Aia waved at the pair, who froze in place, looked at them, and then grinned.
They sheathed their Ninjato, wiped the sweat from their brows with small towels, and then approached the girls.
"Hey." Kuma looked at them, then met Natsumi's eyes. "All done with the boring lectures for today?"
"Hey!" Aia put her hands on her lips and narrowed her eyes. "I'm not that bad!"
Kuma cocked his head at her, staring unblinkingly until she crossed her arms and groaned.
"Jerks."
Natsumi stifled a laugh and waved at Noboru, who took a long drink of water before nodding at her.
"Hey there, Red. I see ya healed nicely."
She glanced down at her tattoo and a faint smile tugged the corners of her mouth up. "It definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, in hindsight." She looked up at him and smiled more broadly. "Thanks again for doing it. I've really grown to like it."
"That's 'cause it suits you." Kuma reached over to ruffle her hair. "Are you ready for my lesson? I promise it's not boring like someone else's."
Aia rolled her eyes and Sena and she held in a laugh.
"I think so."
"Aia! Chie!" The Captain barked down the hall and they all flinched.
Noboru chuckled under his breath, giving a sloppy salute before he muttered. "Good luck. Glad I'm not on your team."
"Yeah, yeah." Kuma crossed his arms and Noboru hurried away in time for Ayeka to call out again.
Natsumi dared to look at the end of the hall and saw her standing, watching them, with her arms crossed and her typical scowl on her face.
"I know you heard me! Come with me."
Kuma patted Sena's shoulder. "Good luck." He chuckled motioned to Natsumi with his head. "Come on. Better get started on training before she finds a reason to yell at us, too."
"Thanks for your support." Sena sighed and she began down the hall, giving Natsumi a small wave. "See you later."
"Bye, Natsumi." Aia whispered, faintly smiling before she followed Sena away.
"So, have you had any time to practice at home? Or have they been running you ragged with studying?"
Kuma stretched, and she copied.
"I've been doing it to myself, honestly." Natsumi admitted and copied his stretches, feeling the aches and tension from sitting in Aia's lecture melting away. "I want to catch up with everyone so I've been studying twice as hard."
Kuma cracked his neck, then his fingers, and then led her through a series of lower body stretches.
"That's fine and all, but being ANBU isn't just about brains."
"I know." She muttered and my cheeks flushed.
He laughed. "I'm not criticizing, I'm just saying that you should at least make it 50-50. The Ninjato is a special weapon and it takes a lot of time and energy to master."
They stood normally and he passed her a water bottle. "Take a few sips. It's best to stay hydrated when you train."
She did as he said, then set her bottle down carefully on an empty chair situated against the wall.
"Plus," He added with a grimace. "If you don't show enough improvement to make the Captain happy with me teaching, I'll get yelled at and she'll become your instructor instead. Definitely don't want that to happen."
Natsumi gulped at the thought and nodded. "Especially since she still hates me from my first day."
"Go ahead and run through your stances. I want to make sure you're getting your feet right. The wrong stance can throw you off, even if it's only a little bit off."
She obeyed again, carefully matching her breathing to the movements as he circled her, watching.
"And, I'm pretty sure she made her mind up about you before you even got here, so you can't really blame yourself for that. She's just... malicious."
"I'm glad you're my teacher instead." He motioned for Natsumi to freeze as he corrected her stance, then stepped back when he was pleased.
"Well, when it comes to the Ninjato, she and I are on equal terms. As unkind as she can be, she respects skill, so it was easy for me to convince her to let me lead your training." He winked. "Of course, my irresistible good looks also played a major role."
She giggled and stepped out of the final stance, and he nodded in approval.
"Nicely done. You may not have been practicing as much, but it seems that you're a natural. There are a few things about your stances to nit-pick, but you started to correct them on your own before I could, so that's good."
He smiled and waved his hand. "Run through the first Form for me, as much as you remember."
Nastumi finished quickly and he looked her over carefully with his lips drawn into a half-frown, and she sighed.
"Where did I mess up?"
Kuma smiled faintly and shook his head. "You know the moves completely and are getting better at making each movement precise. I don't have any complaints about your form."
He circled her for a moment and then stopped.
"Then... what's wrong?" Natsumi ran through the form in her mind. I don't think I'm doing badly... am I?
"You're distracted." He answered simply, only tapping on the blade of her Ninjato to knock it out of her hand.
Color warmed her cheeks and she retrieved her sword slowly. "Sorry."
"When was the last time you ate?" He sheathed his sword and she looked away and to sheath her own.
"...Yesterday." She admitted. "I was running late this morning, so I skipped breakfast. I didn't think it would be a problem..."
Kuma laughed and ruffled her hair.
"Skipping meals causes a drop in performance. You've got to take better care of yourself."
Natsumi nodded and he nudged her shoulder. "Let's go get lunch, and then once your stomach's settled, we can start again."
She looked up at him and blinked. "Are we allowed to leave like this?"
He laughed and put a hand on her shoulder, leading her out of the room and down the hall.
"Of course we can; We're not prisoners. I prefer to train outside anyway, and everyone knows it. Your mind's clearer in the open air and sunshine, and there are plenty of secluded spots that are perfect for training. I'll show you my best spots."
"Really? But, what if someone sees us in uniform?"
"You worry too much, Red." He led her into the locker rooms, opened her locker, and retrieved the black hooded cloak from the hook, and slipped it over her head. "See? No one can see the uniform now."
He pulled an identical cloak from his own locker and put it on. "It's not as if we're going on with our masks on, so no one will be the wiser."
"You're right; sorry." Natsumi sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me today."
"Two words: low blood sugar."
They shared a look and then she covered her mouth to muffle a laugh, and Kuma put his hands on his hips, screwing his face up.
"I... now realize my mistake."
Natsumi laughed louder, and he chuckled.
"Alright, alright; let's go get something to eat before the moodiness sets in."
She crossed my arms as we walked and pursed my lips. "I don't get moody when I'm hungry."
"Hm? Oh, I meant me." He winked and held open the door for her. "Ladies first."
Natsumi smiled and stepped outside, raising her hand to block the sudden bright onslaught and let out a long breath.
Kuma did the same, drawing in large breaths of fresh air and closing his eyes as the wind passed over his face.
"What'd I tell you? Being outside is so much better than being cooped up in there." He nudged her again and motioned for her to follow him. "So, what do you want to eat? I like food in general, so I don't have preferences, so you pick anything you want. It'll be my treat."
Natsumi crossed her arms and looked up at him from the corner of her eye, blushing faintly. "Uh... Kuma... won't it seem... strange for us to be seen eating together?"
"Huh?" He met her eyes and then laughed. "If you're really that worried about anyone thinking that way, I can always pick something up and bring it to you."
"You don't have to go out of your way like that."
"Nah; you're probably right. Let me show you my favorite spot first, then I'll pick up lunch."
There was silence between them and her mind wandered until we emerged from the forest and she stopped and gaped at the landscape.
"Kuma! This is—"
He nodded and put his hand on his hip. "Final Valley."
The rushing of the waterfall was loud but soothing. The sky above us and around us was a brilliant, deep blue and, in full view, were the massive statues carved directly from the cliffs. Her eyes widened and she stepped closer to the edge to stare at the figures.
"This place is even more amazing in person!" Natsumi turned to Kuma, who was grinning at himself. "But, this isn't exactly a secret place."
He laughed. "I never said secret, did I? All I said was that it was secluded, which it is. No one comes here, and it's got perfect for training if you don't want anyone to just happen to come across you."
She turned back to the statues and nodded. "It's amazing."
"First time here?" He stepped beside her and admired the view.
"We learned about it briefly at the Academy, but I've never seen it in more than pictures."
"It's pretty awe-inspiring." He pointed to the figures. "You know who they are, I guess?"
"Of course I do." Natsumi crossed her arms and smirked faintly. "That's Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha— founders of the Hidden Leaf Village. They started as enemies, became allies and friends, and then became enemies again. We didn't learn many details about what exactly happened, though."
"I expected that." He pointed across the waterfall, to the Uchiha's side. "Remember, the land there belongs to the Land of Sound, so don't trespass, okay?" She nodded and he patted her head. "Alright, you get acquainted with the area and I'll grab some lunch."
He waved and flickered away, leaving her to listen to the rush of water.
"Wait... I never told him what I wanted..."Natsumi crossed her arms, pouting as her stomach growled loudly.
I hope he picks something good. I'm really hungry now.
She took off her cloak, folding it over her arm as she walked closer to the waterfall and stood on top of Hashirama's head, taking in the view.
This place really is amazing. I can see everything from here. Maybe I should bring Naruto here sometime.
She turned across the waterfall and stared at the dense forests there.
I wonder what kind of place the Land of Sound is. They've only recently formed their Hidden village, but no one knows anything about it. I crossed my arms and watched the shadow of a large bird circling over the trees. I wonder what the people are like.
Natsumi sighed and sat cross-legged on the stone head as she waited.
Maybe the people are all mute... She imagined Shinobi using a signed language, and then shook her head. No, that wouldn't work. Communicating in battle and using Jutsu would conflict with each other.
She sighed again and a small movement in the woods caught her eyes. For a split second, she thought I saw someone on the other side, watching her, but it was gone when she blinked.
This is the border of their land... maybe they have regular patrols?
Natsumi stood and drew my Ninjato and began to practice while she waited. After some time, Kuma flickered behind her.
"I'm back!" He grinned and held up two bags of carry-out.
Natsumi breathed the smells in deeply and smiled. "What did you get?"
"I'm glad you asked." He laid down his own cloak as a picnic blanket and started to set out the food. "Spicy curry, steamed vegetables, and sushi for me... and for you..."
He passed her two containers and she gently took them, placing them in front of her and opening them up.
"I-Ichiraku?!" Her eyes widened and she beamed. "How did you know it was my favorite?"
"I overheard you talking to Kiri and Sena about it." He shrugged and began to eat, humming and moaning softly as he savored each bite.
She cracked open the pair of chopsticks and dug in, slurping the noodles happily. "Thanks, Kuma. This is great."
He smiled with his cheeks puffy and stuffed, then swallowed. "No problem." He chewed another bite and then watched her eat. "You can call me Aito, you know. It's just us."
She nodded and swallowed the noodles in a satisfying gulp. "R-Right, sorry. I've gotten so used to the codenames."
"No worries, Red." He winked and pointed to her second box. "Aren't you curious to see what I got you for a dessert?"
"Dessert?" She peeked inside and smiled broadly. "Dango!"
"Am I good, or what?" He raised his eyebrows a few times, wiggling them at her before he continued eating.
Natsumi giggled and took a small bite of the dessert. "You're so weird."
He laughed and placed a hand dramatically on his chest. "Me? Weird?"
She nodded. "When I first met you, I thought you'd be tougher and more serious, but you're just... goofy."
"Goofy?" He scoffed. "How?"
She shrugged. "You're like a kid sometimes."
He rolled his eyes but chuckled. "Alright, maybe a little. But, in my defense, acting serious all the time can get really annoying."
After a few minutes, he was finished eating and she was done with her ramen and only starting on the dessert. Kuma sat with one leg bent and he leaned back and watched her.
"So, now that you're not hungry anymore, do you want to talk about what's really on your mind?"
Natsumi swallowed the bite and looked at him. "Huh? What do you mean?"
He smiled faintly and pointed at her. "The zoning out all day, skipping breakfast, running late, your expressions... all indicate that there's something bothering you. What's up?"
She let out a long sigh and rested her hands in her lap. "Well... I'm worried about Naruto."
He nodded, and she continued. "I'm not used to spending so much time away from him, so I wonder if he's doing okay. He's been so busy lately with his team that sometimes he comes home late and goes straight to bed, instead of eating. We used to talk a lot before bed, but it seems so lonely lately."
"There's more to it, though."
She pursed my lips. "How can you tell?"
"Your eyes. I can tell that you're holding back."
"Fine..." She took another bite of dessert, chewing slowly. "I'm also worried about his teammates."
"Yeah?" He sat up straighter and rested his arm on his knee. "What about them?"
"He's got Sakura, the girl he has a crush on, as a teammate..."
Kuma chuckled. "Lucky guy."
Natsumi shook her head. "...But she likes someone else, and she's horrible to Naruto. I've had to step in before when she was hitting him, and I hate the way she talks to him and about him. I can't trust her to have his back on a mission if that's how she treats him regularly."
"What about the other one?"
Natsumi scowled and took another bite, chewing angrily. "Sasuke Uchiha." I muttered.
He blinked. "The Uchiha kid?"
She nodded. "Yeah. He's arrogant and aloof, and he barely acknowledges anyone around him. When he does, he always says something really condescending, and he prefers to act alone and thinks that his teammates get in his way. I can't trust him to have Naruto's back, either. He's also the one that Sakura likes."
She huffed. "I don't want to say that the Hokage made a mistake, but I don't know what he was thinking to put those three together. I don't see how they could make a good team at all."
"You'd be surprised, actually." Kuma shrugged. "After all, we all hate Jiro and feel like he's just waiting to slit our throats in our sleep, but, on a mission, I trust him with my life." He laughed awkwardly. "There's absolutely no chemistry between us, but he always comes through when duty calls, and, as bloodthirsty as he is, he's proven himself to be loyal."
Natsumi shuddered at the mention of him.
"So, if I can trust Jiro to have my back on missions, maybe it's like that for the Uchiha kid, too."
She sighed and nodded. "Maybe you're right. I just... feel so helpless now." She chewed up the last bite, then neatly set the empty containers off to the side.
"Helpless?"
Natsumi nodded again and drew her legs close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
"My entire reason for wanting to become a strong Kunoichi was so that I could look after Naruto the way he's looked after me. But now..."
"It's up to his team to fill that role." He finished her sentence and she sighed deeply.
"I don't know how to stop feeling so irrelevant. Naruto and I used to be so close, but I feel like we're drifting apart, and I don't like it."
"Are you sure it's not just in your head?"
She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "Maybe you're just afraid of losing that bond with your brother that your subconscious is perceiving everything in an exaggerated way."
Natsumi opened her mouth and shut it again. Is that what's happening?
"Sure, you're both busy now, on very different paths, but you're fixating on the negatives of how your role has changed. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Try embracing the change." He shrugged again and took a long drink of water. "It takes a while to settle into the ANBU, but, if you let yourself, you'll enjoy it."
She rested her chin on her knee and looked over at him. "Don't you feel like you're missing out on some things that a regular Shinobi gets to do, though?"
"Sometimes, I guess." Now empty, he crushed the water bottle into a ball and stuck it into the takeout bag. "I got to do the Chunin exams with Benjiro and Hana, the same as everyone else our age did, but sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to train my own Three-man squad."
Natsumi's eyes wandered down to the stone and he put a hand on her head. I thought so...
"You'll never be happy in any role if you're always thinking of the what-ifs or comparing yourself to other people. Team Yoru is like your extended family now. Nothing and nobody will ever replace your brother, and the same goes for him. You'll always need each other, but in different ways as you grow up. It's normal."
Natsumi nodded and watched his expression as he spoke.
"Aito?" His eyes stayed ahead. "Do you have a brother, too?"
The corner of his mouth twitched in a faint smile, but his eyes remained fixed on the landscape, almost glassy.
"A sister." He blinked and his expression lifted and he met her eyes. "You remind me of her, Natsumi."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Really? I didn't know you had a sister."
"Yeah." He laughed under his breath. "Ten years older, exactly. I was born on her birthday. She was always bugging me, nagging me, and being overprotective of her baby brother."
His tone shifted and he looked out at the horizon again.
"But..." Natsumi paused and exhaled slowly. "Something happened to her?"
He remained silent for a while, then answered softly.
"She and her husband were ANBU, too. It's a dangerous job, where even the best people can die sometimes. They were no exception." He paused. "Not just them, but our parents, too. So, it was just me left, with my baby nephew and her in-law's clan."
Her eyes fell and he shrugged.
"It wasn't all bad, though. They took me in and I'm grateful for it. I just wish that I hadn't wasted so much time with my sister picking fights or complaining every time she tried to coddle me. I miss it."
"I'm sorry." Her stomach sunk.
"Don't be. Their sacrifice wasn't in vain, and they're the reason why I joined up. One day, I'm going to find the bastards that killed them, and make them pay."
"What are you going to do after that?"
"Haven't decided yet." He smiled and shrugged. "I actually like the being in the ANBU, though."
"You do? Even as an assassin?"
"As long as it helps the village, it doesn't bother me. I've never been squeamish."
"Oh." Natsumi drew her legs in closer.
"It's definitely not for everyone, though." He copied her, resting his arms on his knees as he watched her. "Why did you join?"
"For Naruto." Natsumi answered slowly. "The Hokage told me that it was dangerous for him. If he goes on missions and becomes more known, he could be targeted by people who want the—"
She stopped and remembered the Hokage's rule.
"Demon Fox?" Kuma winked. "I don't give a damn about the rule, and he's your brother, so you can speak freely."
Natsumi giggled and he glanced up at the large bird that still circled overhead, then back to her.
"So, you joined to protect Naruto?"
Natsumi nodded.
"Being ANBU, I knew that there would be a lot of secret information that I would have access to. So, I thought that, if I was able to find out about anyone looking for Naruto, and helped to stop them before they could act, I could protect him that way."
"You remind me of Asahi." He patted her head. "She always thought of everyone else first." He lowered his hand to rest on the stone beside him. "What do you want to do later on, though? The ANBU lifestyle isn't very conducive for family life, and it's rough on the body and mind. It's not a career that you can grow old in, either. You either age out, or you are killed in action."
"I don't know." She bit my lip. "I never planned on joining the ANBU in the first place, and I'm terrible at thinking long-term. I was thinking that everything would just... happen if it was meant to be. All I know is that I want to help Naruto achieve his dream, and to help people see him for the good heart he has, instead of as a demon. I haven't thought of anything else."
"Well, you've got plenty of time to figure it out." He stood and held out a hand for her, and helped her up. "In the meantime, what do you say about starting the lesson over?"
Natsumi nodded and helped to clean up their lunch, following him over to a large open area on the flat ground, and unsheathed her Ninjato.
"Are you ready? From this point on, I'm going to be tougher on you. If you want to be stronger to protect the people you love, there are no shortcuts."
They took a ready stance, exhaled slowly, and Natsumi narrowed my eyes.
"I know. I'm ready."